The Girl Scouts are criticizing decision by Boy Scouts to accept females

A long simmering feud between the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts has broked out into the open with the decision by the Boy Scouts to accept females in their ranks.

The controversial decision by the Boy Scouts includes a weak and confusing justification.

Sacramento - Bee

Sacramento Bee:

The Boy Scouts of America announced Wednesday that its board of directors had unanimously approved a decision to begin admitting girls into its Cub Scout program and to develop a program that will allow girls to eventually attain the rank of Eagle Scout for the first time ever.

Decision - BSA - Mission - Core - Values

“This decision is true to the BSA’s mission and core values outlined in the Scout Oath and Law. The values of Scouting – trustworthy, loyal, helpful, kind, brave and reverent, for example – are important for both young men and women,” said Michael Surbaugh, the BSA’s Chief Scout Executive in a news release.

The organization has offered programs that include girls for decades, such as the Venturing high-adventure program and Explorers career-shadowing program. But this is the first time the organization has opened up its traditional programs to girls, including the option to reach Eagle Scout, a distinction only about 2 percent of scouts have ever achieved, according to the BSA.

News - Release - BSA - Interest - Parents

A news release from the BSA said that high interest from parents and a desire to serve busy modern families contributed to the decision, as well as a more general desire to expand scouting programs to include as many people as possible.

“The BSA’s record of producing leaders with high character and integrity is amazing,” said Randall Stephenson, the BSA’s national president. “It is time to make these outstanding leadership development programs available to girls.”

Release - Plan - Programs - Girls - Cub

The release outlines an extended plan for rolling out the new programs. Girls will be allowed to join the Cub Scouting program, which covers first through fifth grade, starting...